Comic-Con Co-Founder Dies at 59

Comic Con co-founder Richard Alf has died at 59 years old.

Shortly after being diagnosed in December, Alf lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, the Associated Press reports. He is survived by his mother.

Alf is credited with joining a group of volunteers in 1970 to start the celebrated San Diego convention and, according to fellow co-founder Mike Towry, fronting a few thousand dollars to fund the convention for the first three years of its existence. Alf also provided rides in his car for other co-founders during that time.

Additionally, Alf founded the Comic Kingdom shop in San Diego’s North Park area in the 1970s.

In 2011, the 42nd annual Comic-Con drew more than 120,000 fans and boasted appearances by the filmmakers and casts of the Twilight Saga, the Hunger Games, Cowboys & Aliens, The Adventures of Spider-Man and many more.